[Sca-cooks] Orange Marmalade (was re:from Stefhan)

[Barbara Benson]

<Snip>
> I'm not sure that orange marmalade is an improvement, at least as
> far as authenticity goes.
>
> Any particular area that this feast was for? Early or late in the
> SCA time period?
>
> Sweet oranges were very late in period. I can't remember when the
> sour orange was introduced. However, either probably requires a
> fair amount of sugar. Heavily sugared foods were not common earlier.
<snip>

Greetings,
Let me see if I can answer your questions. The feast (my first) was not
specific to a time period or place but was specific to a time of year. It
was for an event titled Mid-Winter A&S so we did a feast that contained
items that would have been available and served in the Mid-Winter. Mostly.
The #1 consideration was that it be documentable, the #2 consideration was
that it taste good. And depending on how we were feeling at the time those
could flip flop (and by flip flop I mean if it was from the 1600's but to
die for it might squinch in).
I have a late period persona so I tend to lean towards late period
foodstuffs.
The receipt (which I have already posted somewhere on the list) came out of
Banquetting Stuffe and the author of that book got the original from Hugh
Platt's Delight for Ladies.
The resulting marmalade was not what we would typically consider a
marmalade. It came out a stiff molded past consistency that we cut into
pleasing shapes and served on plates. There was not any orange zest in the
marmalade because the receipt did not call for it, but during the cooking
stage the oranges went in rind and all - so there was that slight bitterness
that comes from the pith. There was also a large quantity of apples, I
assume for the pectin.
I am confident in our usage of this in the feast. It was brought out in the
first course and served with bread and a Bruet of Eggs & Cheese.
I hope I have answered your questions, and if I have erred anywhere in my
reasoning or assumptions please bring that up! I am here to learn.
Glad Tidings,
Serena da Riva



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